Bombay High Court Orders Transfer of Defamation Suits Due to Sanatan Sanstha Threat

The Bombay High Court has ruled in favor of transferring defamation suits filed by the Sanatan Sanstha to Maharashtra, citing credible threats against the defendants. The order seeks to ensure justice in a climate of fear following the murder of rationalists Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare, M M Kalburgi, and journalist Gauri Lankesh.

Hamid Dabholkar, son of the slain rationalist, and several journalists faced defamation suits filed by the Sanatan Sanstha in Goa. Justice N J Jamadar reasoned that the threat posed by the right-wing group was both 'reasonable and genuine,' justifying the change in venue for the trials.

In its decision, the court highlighted the tension between the Sanatan Sanstha and the applicants, underlining the need for the suits to be tried in a safer jurisdiction. The filing of the defamation cases in Ponda, where the Sanstha is headquartered, had raised alarms about the safety of those involved in the lawsuit.

(With inputs from agencies.)